The present invention relates in general to electrical connectors, and in particular to an electrical connector assembly having keyed components for preventing inadvertent connection of a plug with an incorrect receptacle.
Whenever two or more plug and receptacle pairs, each comprising the subassemblies of a connector arrangement, are located adjacent to each other, there is always the possibility that the various connector plugs may not be mated to the receptacles for which they were intended, through human error. This is particularly true where these connections are located in difficult access positions. If the connectors are of the single cable coaxial type, for example, there is nothing about the connector subassemblies (plug and receptacle halves) themselves that would prevent mismating, since the corresponding subassemblies are frequently identical parts.
Although some coaxial connectors are xe2x80x9cpolarizedxe2x80x9d, these are limited to situations where there are just two coaxial connections to be considered at any one location. Even in multi-pin connectors, any xe2x80x9ckeyingxe2x80x9d provided is usually for rational alignment purposes and cannot prevent the inadvertent mismating of identical plug and receptacle connector subassemblies.
There is, therefore, a need in the art for electrical connectors that are configured to efficiently and reliably prevent inadvertent connections of a plug into an incorrect receptacle.
A connector assembly consistent with the invention includes a plug portion and a receptacle portion. The plug portion includes a coupling nut and a separate key rotatably secured to an interior surface of the coupling nut. The key includes a first flat surface and a projection that extends from an interior surface of the key. The receptacle portion includes an outer shell and threads for meshingly engaging corresponding threads on the plug upon mating of the plug to the receptacle. The outer shell includes a second flat surface and a raceway. The second flat surface is positioned to align with the first flat surface, and the raceway is dimensioned to receive the projection. The projection is maintained in the raceway upon mating of the plug with the receptacle through meshing engagement of the threads on the receptacle with the threads on the plug.
In another embodiment, a connector assembly consistent with the invention includes a keyed plug and receptacle. The plug has a coupling nut with at least one plug keying feature at a mating end of the plug. The plug includes a spring configured for biasing the coupling nut away from a mating end of the plug. The receptacle includes threads for meshingly engaging corresponding threads on the plug upon mating of the plug to the receptacle. The receptacle further includes at least one receptacle keying feature at a mating end of the receptacle, the receptacle keying feature being configured to mate with the plug keying feature. Upon mating of the plug with the receptacle, the receptacle and plug keying features mate with the spring biasing the coupling nut away from the receptacle. The spring thus assists in disengaging the keyed connection between the plug and receptacle.